CHAPTER XV 



A CAMP AMONG CANNIBALS 



The country here being in places dense with matamma 

 fields and tall grass that reached far above our heads, 

 and our path being so narrow that we had to march in 

 single file, I was expecting momentarily to see a shower 

 of arrows or a thousand gleaming spears or lances, knives, 

 and other weapons raised against us, but we were allowed 

 to pass unmolested. Once over the crest of the hill 

 above the village the track led through a short grass 

 and bush country studded with small groups of huts, 

 the inhabitants of which were in a great state of excite- 

 ment at our approach. Below us we could see groups 

 of dark creatures standing by their huts gazing intently 

 at us as we pushed along. Again the drums beat forth 

 the signal of alarm, shrill whistles and wailing cries 

 broke into the calm morning air, and were borne far 

 away to the north-west by the faint breeze. Looking 

 back up the winding path that we had left behind, we 

 saw a mass of humanity clearly outlined against the 

 azure blue sky, gazing down at us from their lofty 

 position with the sun glinting and flashing on the blades 

 of their spears, and as we passed down into the valley, 

 howls of execration were showered on us. It was for all 

 the world as though we had upset a bees' nest. 



Looking up at the steep hills in front of us we could 

 see another crowd of armed savages, whose numbers 

 alone would have rendered it easy for them to surge 

 down on us from all sides and cut us up, but the expected 



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